What a weekend, what a show!!

What a weekend of Adventures we just had.

You'll be able to hear about all of them on Glacier Adventures with Jay & Hill at 10:00am MST on Whitefish Radio

Including, but not limited to, our trip to Eureka, MT for the Kickoff BBQ and concert for Rendezvous Days, then we'll talk to Robert Hanson of the Flathead County Dive team as they 'Clean the Fish'. We also talk to Dori Muehlhof from the Flathead Convention and Visitors Bureau, Leslie Kehoe from the Flathead Audubon was in studio to talk about upcoming birding trips in the valley, and of course the audio from our trip down to the taste of Bigfork which we probably could have made a show out of in itself. Pam and Barb from Farmhands were nice enough to sit down at our table last week at Wasabi in downtown Whitefish and talk to us about their fabulous program as we enjoyed sushi. And a last minute interview was Bill Lavelle who is a part of Bear Aware in the Flathead valley and they have a fantastic program sponsored by the Glacier National Park Fund coming up that we will be covering for next weeks show which is called "people helping people live with bears". It's happening at the Whitefish Middle School Auditorium on Saturday, May 3, 2008 from 2 pm to 5 pm. Whether you visit bear country or live in bear country, we encourage you to attend.

Our producer/editor Ross Strauser also talks about "Death by Chocolate" happening this weekend at the Conrad Mansion.... yep, we'll be there too.




See you on the trail.





.....and don't forget Glacier Adventure has all of you Glacier National Park and Flathead Valley information.




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A Taste of Bigfork

What a day, ... what an adventure in taste.


We spent the day walking around Bigfork, MT and sampling foods from over 20 local restaurants and eateries. There were local brews and wines as well. It was truly a great day!

The variety of food was amazing and the talent showcased would make you think you were in a major metropolitan area. We sampled everything from pork paprikush on sauteed spatzels to mini pulled pork sandwiches to cascabel rubbed buffalo to homemade gourmet ice cream and just about everything in between.

If you are ever in the Glacier National Park or Flathead area at the end of April, I really recommend the Taste of Bigfork. An experience your taste buds won't soon forget.

The party at The Garden Bar for the raffle was like a family gathering. People enjoying the blue sky day, delicious food, and plenty of drink.

We are counting down the days until next year's Taste of Bigfork.

364 days to go in case you were wondering.


We'll see you there.




-jay



Make sure to visit Glacier Adventure for all of your Glacier National Park and Surrounding area information.




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Spring Cleaning, ... Whitefish Style

"Clean The Fish" was a great success. The turnout was fantastic and judging by the number of full trash bags lining the roads around town, I'd say Whitefish is much cleaner because of it.

Not only did they clean the roads of Whitefish, they also cleaned City Beach above and below the water. Robert Hanson and members of The Flathead County Dive Team (associated with the Flathead County Sheriffs Office) donned the full SCUBA gear, complete with cold suits, and cleared the swimming area and beyond of cans, bottles, broken glass and anything else that might be hazardous to City Beach dwellers this summer.

Dave Stephens and Tim Healy, a couple of local volunteers from Whitefish Lake Services, came up with a mesh sack of assorted trash, a large chunk of rope and a metal pipe about 4 feet long. I wonder how THAT got down there.

With well over a hundred volunteers, I have to say that "Clean The Fish" really gets the community together, both above and below the water.


See you at the (cleaner) City Beach.


-jay




and don't forget Glacier Adventure has all of you Glacier National Park and Flathead Valley information.





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Rendezvous Days Kickoff

So I'll start by telling you that we got our new digital SLR today and got some great pictures of the kickoff of Rendezvous Days up in Eureka, MT.

We headed out to the black powder shoot at the 69 ranch where they camp just like they did in the late 1800's and early 1900's. Tents with woodburning stoves, cooking over open fire, no poly-pro in this group, wool, cotton, canvas and leather are the main clothing textiles.

Then we went up the road to the Koocanusa Arena where they had the Rendezvous Days kickoff dinner and concert. What a blast. The food was great! BBQ brisket, coleslaw, baked beans, ... topped off with a roll. Delicious.

The music was great!!, Sarah Henderson & The Front Porch Band kicked things off followed by Kayla & Holly VanBemmel. Smash Hit Carnival was performing when we left, they are performers in every sense of the word. They change costumes to go with the band they are playing. We heard/saw them do The Cars, The Rolling Stones (and he was a dead ringer for Mick Jagger), and the Supremes just to name a few. Not to mention singing on a wireless mic while out on the dance floor. Everyone had a blast. Looks to be a GREAT weekend in Eureka. Parade is Saturday at noon. They say it's one of the largest in the state. Check it out.


















We also posted some cool new stuff up at Glacieradventure.com


Going To The Sun Road Plowing update coming up.....


stay tuned.


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The Bears are Waking Up!

The proof is in the pictures.

A friend of ours who lives north of town shared these pictures with us that were taken yesterday morning.

Here is their story in their words:

Good Morning,

We had a large bear in the driveway and yard last night. About 11:00 the dogs wanted out back, seemed like just pre-bed routine thing, but man, did they get barking and running all over with noses to the ground. Trapper the black lab especially wanted out front so I took him and Blue our lab mix. They both were barking and all on alert, noses going. I didn't take a flashlight since the moonlight was OK to see by. Wish I did have one though, as the dogs got down by Jane's car near my studio the dogs had gotten the attention of this bear. I saw him in relief and shadow but a light would have neat to get a real lit view of him. Even though he wasn't well lit he seemed very black in color

I say him because even in the low light this was a very very large bear, even on all fours. He looked black to me and didn't strike me as a Grizzly just by the body shape and outline but boy, these are some big feet and full of nails. Reading up on the print shape this morning I have to think it probably was Grizzly. I was only about 25-30 feet away last night when he appeared and I instinctively moved toward the house even as Blue dog went right at him. I was calling her back but she didn't mind that it was a bear at all. I guess her forthrightness may have harried the bear a bit and it scampered right out the front yard and off into the woods.

Walking around this morning I found track that places the bear just walking up the back driveway and through the snow by the gate. Where it crossed into our yard I didn't find clearly. Neighbor Jan was over too but we still couldn't be clear his early path in.

Anyway, that's my bear story.

Pretty amazing, ... and also a great reminder that's it's never too early to dust off the old bear spray.





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Sushi in Downtown Whitefish

... for a great cause.

We headed down to Wasabi Sushi Bar in Downtown Whitefish, Montana who donated a portion of their proceeds to FarmHands

Farmhands is a group of local farmers and consumers wishing to strengthen the natural bond between the people who produce the food and the people who eat it.

WHY LOCAL IS BETTER
Unlike corporate agriculture, family farms are run by people who live on the land and care deeply about it. They protect the soil, because it sustains them. They grow tomatoes for flavor, not shelf-life. All the food they produce is days - sometimes weeks - fresher than anything trucked in across state or national borders.

In the process, family farms help preserve America's most cherished historical, cultural and family values. Respect for hard work, the importance of neighbor helping neighbor, and a deep appreciation for the land are just a few of the values that grow strong in the fertile soil of the family farm. - FARMHANDS

We encourage you to get a Farmhands map, visit a local farm or Farmers Market and enjoy foods grown locally. You'll never shop the same way again. The map also includes restaurants that support local farms, so even when eating out here in the Flathead Valley, you can support our local farmers. ...and not to mention get some of the best tasting, freshest food around!!!

Make sure to visit Glacier Adventure for all of your Glacier National Park and Surrounding area information.

Mantracking in the Flathead Valley

One of the cool cool thing about living here full time is the variety of activities available just keeps growing and growing.

This weekend we had an old friend in town who we met when we were members of Flathead County Search and Rescue. He is a professional Man-Tracker and provides training for search and rescue groups, law enforcement, and military personell around the world.

His name is Joel Hardin and he is the Master Teacher and Educator for Joel Hardin Professional Tracking Services. He was in town this weekend holding a class on crime scene preservation and man tracking which was attended by members of local search and rescue teams and law enforcement officers.

Students were taught how to see 'sign' (evidence of someone passing) and follow that sign. They were also taught how to track while preserving possible evidence at a crime scene. This is done in classroom and hands on in the field.
You also learn how to work as a team, how to document clearly, and how to communicate what you have documented. (try describing what a partial footprint looks like over a radio)

It's a great class and even if you are not involved in SAR or law enforcement, you can still take one of Joel's classes. I guarantee you will never look at the ground the same way again

Classes are held year round at different locations around the country. For a complete listing of classes and locations go to Joel Hardin's website at www.jhardin-inc.com



It's a truly amazing skill and the more you learn, the more you realize how much more you can learn.




...and don't forget to go to Glacier Adventure for all of you Glacier National Park and surrounding area happenings.


see you in the dirt.


-jay






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A Little Taste of Paradise

So Glacier Park Fans, spring continues to entice us with thoughts of summer days out on the trail and on the lake here in beautiful Northwest Montana, though snow is in the forecast for today! Got to love spring in Montana.

Friday night Jay and I had the pleasure of joining friends on an Adventure in Taste for our radio show, and what an experience it was!

For those of you looking to travel to Glacier National Park this upcoming summer, we encourage you to take the time to venture into the surrounding communities. Distances in the west are longer than you may be used to, but trust us, both the views along the way and the gems you'll uncover are well worth extra effort.

One such gem is the Culinary Design Studio in Bigfork, Montana. Check out a snippet from our write up from the evening below, and be sure to visit GlacierAdventure.com for the full story!

See you in the park!

- Hillary

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AN EVENING OF YOUR OWN
Up Close and Personal with Josh Auerhammer of the Culinary Design Studio
Tucked right outside the heart of the artisan village of Bigfork, Montana is the Culinary Design Studio, a vision realized for Chef/Owner Josh Auerhammer.

The venue is intimate and personal, the layout comprised of a professional kitchen flanked by an open dining room with seating for eight. There are no dividing walls between chef and table, allowing for a casual, easy accessibility to Chef Josh, and guests are invited to get up and mingle in-between courses.

READ THE FULL STORY, CLICK HERE



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Glacier National Park - Going To The Sun Road Plowing Update

Hey Park Fans,

Just wanted to give you a little Glacier Park plowing update.

11 Miles of the Going To The Sun Road have been cleared for weekend hiker and biker access.

Tues - Fri the Going To The Sun Road is accessible to from the gate a the McDonald Lake Lodge up to Avalanche Campground.

Sat - Mon it will be accessible from the McDonald Lake Lodge past the Avalanche Campground up to the Packers Roost. About 11 miles.

East side has been cleared for vehicles from St. Mary to Rising Sun (2 miles)

The road into Many Glacier is not yet open. Plowing progress is slow due to deep snow.

June 13 is still the expected opening date for the entire Going To The Sun Road over Logan Pass. I'll be up there with my snowboard!!

Weekend weather in the park looks to be cold and windy with the possibility of snow. Dress in plenty of layers. See you in the Park.

-jay




.... and of course, Glacier Adventure is the only site you need for all of your Glacier National Park and Flathead Valley information.





-Information in this post from our friends at the Daily Interlake.

Glacier National Park - radio show

This week's show will talk about obtaining a Backcountry Use Permit (also nown as a backcountry permit). You should tune in and check it out. We are also talking with Nancy Zapotocki from the Flathead Audubon Society.

Tune in here.
Glacier Adventure with Jay and Hill on WhitefishRadio.com

And coming up in the next week or 2 we will have an entire show dedicated to The Going To The Sun Road in Glacier National Park. That'll be a show you won't want to miss. We'll talk about spring plowing, the construction and what it means to travelers on the road, and we'll also talk about the new shuttle system that is perfect for getting around the park.



Be sure to check out Glacier Adventure for all of your GNP travel needs.


-jay





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Glacier National Park - Backcountry Use Permit

If you intend on getting out on an oveernight backpacking trip in Glacier National Park, you should know that a Back Country Use Permit is required for all overnight camping, and must be in your possession while in the backcountry.

You can obtain a permit at any one of the following issuing stations:

• Apgar Backcountry Permit Center
(open daily from May 1 through October 31) Permits will only be issued up to ½ hour before the center closes.
..When the Apgar Backcountry Permit Center has closed for the season permits are available at Park Headquarters on weekdays and at the Apgar Visitor Center on weekends.
• St. Mary Visitor Center
(open daily from late May to mid-September)
• Many Glacier and Two Medicine Ranger Stations
..(open daily from late May to mid-September)
• Polebridge Ranger Station
(open daily from early June through mid-September)
• Waterton Lakes National Park Visitor Reception Centre
(open daily from early June through mid-September) accepts
payment by credit card only (no cash). Waterton staff are only authorized to issue trips that start at Chief Mt. or Goat Haunt.

FEES:
The following per person per night fees are charged on permits issued between June 1 and October 31
• Age 16 and over.................. $5.00
• Age 8 through 15................ $2.50
• Age 7 and under..................... free
• Golden Age &
Golden Access cardholders... $2.50
• Season Pass........................ $60.00*
*Valid for one year from date of issue, and covers per night camping fees for the person named on the pass. It does not cover advance reservation fees.

Reservation Fees
Backcountry trips starting between June 15 and October 31 may be reserved in advance. A non-refundable processing fee of $30.00 per trip is charged. Per person/per night fees will be charged when you obtain your permit.
No reservation fee is charged for walkin permits, obtained less than one day prior to the start of the trip, however per person per night fees are charged.

Advance Reservations
Advance reservations (requests made more than one day prior to
the start of the trip) may be requested for any of Glacier’s backcountry
campgrounds. Advance reservation applications are accepted
for trips that begin June 15 through October 31.

Application Procedures
To ensure that your application arrives after the Permit Office has
been staffed for the summer season, it is recommended that you
wait until April 1 to submit your application. Glacier National Park
staff will begin processing application requests on Wednesday,
April 16. All applications received on or before April 15 will be randomly
sorted before processing begins. Applications received after
April 15 will be processed in the order they are received. Applications
may only be submitted via mail or FAX (406-888-5819).
Please allow one month for processing of your permit request.

Applications will be accepted on the official form only. Additional
copies are available by mail or on the park website.

NEW THIS YEAR! You may submit two trip requests on one application.
Each trip request still requires a $30.00 processing fee.
There is a maximum of two trip requests per application. If you
submit more than one application cross reference your dates, so
you do not end up with overlapping trips.

Advance Reservation Campground Opening Dates
Due to unpredictable campground opening dates, each campground
has an “earliest available date” that applies to advance reservation
itineraries. In a typical summer the
opening dates specified represent the time of year the campground
is snow free and available for backcountry campers. If backcountry
campgrounds emerge from snow-cover early, these campgrounds
are placed in an “open” status prior to the specified dates , and are
made available on both a walk-in and reservation basis. In some
years there is more snow than usual and campgrounds may not
open by the dates listed or reserved. In those cases, reserved itineraries
will be modified when you pick up your permit at a permit
issuing station.

Advance Reservation Changes
Requests to change confirmed advance reservations will not be
accepted via phone. You have the following options:
• Call and cancel your reservation (406-888-7900) and submit a new application. You will be charged a $30 fee for any successive advance reservation processed.
• Try to change your itinerary in person, the day before, or morning of, your start date. There is no charge for changing a permit itinerary up to 24 hours prior to permit issuance.
Refund/Cancellation Policies
We do not offer refunds for advance reservation application fees.
It is a processing fee and covers time and materials involved in the
reservation process.
If your plans change and you cannot use any, or part, of your backcountry permit or reservation, you are encouraged to call (406-888-7900) to cancel your trip. A refund will not be provided, but you will allow other campers access to those sites.

This information and more available here:
Glacier National Park Back Country Guide

...and you can get even more information at the
National Park Service Website for Glacier.



Don't forget to check out www.GlacierAdventure.com for all your vacation plans. And listen to Glacier Adventures on Whitefish Radio to hear whats going on out here in the Flathead Valley.

If you are thinking about going out into the back country, don't be afraid to call the park, ask questions, and research your trip. A back country trip in GNP is one you will never forget.


See you on the trail.


-jay



jay(at)GlacierAdventure.com


Back Country Guide and Application available HERE!!



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The mountain is closed but everything else isn't

This last weekend was the final weekend for the Whitefish Mountain Resort on The Big Mountain here in Whitefish Montana. We had a blast at the pond skim competition and you really should visit GlacierAdventure.com and check out the video.

We also had the opportunity to go the O’Shaughnessy Center in downtown Whitefish and see the Glacier Chorale perform and evening with Cole Porter. That was very cool. Our main man Bruce Blocher played the butler and one of our former fellow Big mountain Ambassadors, Brad Seaman played the part of Cole Porter. A very cool show. The whole cast was in 1930's garb, they looked great.

I got out to Apgar at the West entrance to Glacier National Park and got some great shots of McDonald Lake and the snow capped peaks in the distance. There is still plenty of snow out there, but they continue to plow the Going To The Sun Road. They already have pictures up from this year. Check them out here.

We're going to be heading to Bigfork tomorrow with all of our cameras and recording devices. I hope it's a nice day. I'll be sure and share what we get.


...and of course be sure to check out www.GlacierAdventure.com for everything Glacier National Park and Surrounding Areas.

Pond Skim at the Whitefish Mountain Resort, on Big Mountain

I hate to sound like a broken record, but next year, I will enter the competition, not just cover it. the Pond Skim at the Whitefish mountain Resort at Big Mountain.

We did show up in costume, me as Santa on vacation and Hillary was a blond surfer. I thought there would be spectators on costume, but it looked as though we were the only non-contestants in costume. There were some great contestant costumes. There were a bunch of guys dressed up like rabbits and one with a carrot costume and they were hilarious. The Pennywise the clown from Stephen King's "IT" looked great, but the costume may have had an effect on his performance. His first run was his last run.

You can tell that some of the contestants were seasoned veterans, while others I believe were wet behind the ears. ... and that was BEFORE their first run. Afterwards they were wet everywhere else.

They maxed out at 60 competitors and by the end there wasn't a warm or dry one in the bunch. It reminded me of the penguin plunge that they do every year in Flathead Lake and Whitefish Lake. Except with the pond skim you have the possibility of making it out dry. With the penguin plunge you are guaranteed to be soaked, unless you wimp-out.
















There were no wimp-outs on Saturday and it looked like winners and losers both had a blast. I know I did. Next year we will have video of me giving the pond skim a try. There will also probably be follow up video from my ride on ALERT or in the Big mountain Ambulance, lol.



... click here to check out our video montage of the event.

... and hope they someday they bring back the Furniture Races.




And of course GlacierAdventure.com has everything you need to plan your next vacation to Glacier National Park and Surrounding Areas.

Circling Flathead Lake, Montana

Today, Bruce and I headed out early to take a trip around Flathead Lake and see what was happening in the early spring around the largest body of water west of the Mississippi River.

First stop was a place called Buns by the Lake on 93 in Lakeside where I enjoyed what I will call a decadent cream cheese brownie that took me just about the entire day to finish. One bite was a dessert in and upon itself.

The next stop was a very, very cool little antique shop with an unbelievable selection of gifts. It's called Candlemas, located in Rollins, and Bhritta was the woman behind the counter who we chatted with for quite some time. We found out that not only did she build the fence around the property, but she also built the enormous stone wall out in front. She referred to it as stone therapy. A lover of provincial antiques, home decor, and gift worthy nick-knacks could spend the better part of a day in there. I picked up a bottle of raspberry-chocolate-merlot dessert topping sauce. I can't wait to try it.

Further down hwy 93 we came to M and S Meats where we picked up "a taste of the old west" in a pound of buffalo jerky. They also have other types of jerkys, sausages and meats. I'm not a big bison fan, but the jerky was good.

Our next stop was the S and K Marina where we talked to Tracy and he showed us one of a couple of floating cabins he's working on...

Picture this... you have a slip on Flathead Lake and in the slip is a floating cabin, complete with log siding. You spend the summer on the water, out in the lake (yes, the floating cabin is motor driven, drop anchor anywhere) fishing, swimming and enjoying all a lake front cabin has to offer... and then some. When the season is over, you pull your floating cabin out of the lake, bolt on the wheels and tow it up to an RV park on 40 and you now spend the winter in your cabin (complete with RV hookup) just a few miles from the Whitefish Mountain Resort. After the snow melts, you head back down to the lake (cabin in tow) and start the cycle all over again. SIGN ME UP!!

When we were done drooling over Terry's projects, we headed over to Three Dog Down where they have everything down. And I do mean everything. Stop in the next time you're in Polson, you'll see what I mean.

Continuing around the Lake we stopped off at Ricciardis Italian Seafood House (mile marker 6, hwy 35) only to find out that they have quite a line up of live music this summer, and this Thursday April 3rd, they have Yabba Griffiths & Traxx Reggae Band straight out of Chicago.

It was time for food so we continued up 35 to the Sitting Duck which is right on the lake in Woods Bay. We had a local brew from across the street and an order of wings and not only were the buffalo seasoning deelish, they were HUGE. 8 wings come in an order, but they are large, like a meal.

After a late lunch we hit the Flathead Lake Brewing Company, which is right across the street where Emily poured us a pint of the Whitecap Pale Ale as we reminisced about our trip around the lake. (for more info on the Flathead Lake Brewery, click here)

It was a great day, especially with it being early in the spring, I can't wait for the summer.
See you on the lake, or at least at the edge of it.

-jay

For everything Glacier National Park and Surrounding Area, go to http://www.glacieradventure.com/